Fixed ammunition



April 15, 1930. DRlGGS JR, ET AL 1,754,986

FIXED AMMUNIT ION Fi led Jan. 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. QZZL Fr April 15,1930. L. DRIGGS, JR" T AL 1,754,936

FIXED AMMUNITION Filed Jan. 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Patent Apr. 15, 1930 LOUIS I1. DRIGGS, .13., OH NEW ROCHELLE, AND HENRY B. FAIBEB, OF NEW YORK, N- Y.

FIXED AMMUNITION Application filed January 8, 1929. Serial No. 381,127.

Our present invention relates to improvements in signalling systems, in which a cyllnder containing a flare and a parachute, or similar signalling devices are propelled from a un, or a firearm, and after the containerhas fra-velled a certain distance, a second explosion occurs, in which the signalling device is ejected from the container, and the parachute is released, and explodes the flare as it descends gently towards the ground.

- With such apparatus the container referred to may be of suflicient wei ht to cause injury to persons or property in ihllmg, and in such cases, it. becomes desirable to cause the container to descend gently with the flare.

- 1 This may be accomplished by connecting both the container and the flare to the parachute, so that all three bodies will descend gently after the parachute has become distended, and the flare has been ignited in the usual way.

Our invention will be more fully under- I stood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view,-showing thev main cartridge case, and the container ejected therefrom.

Figure 2 shows the container after the secondary explosion with the parachute and flare ejected therefrom.

Figure 3 shows a similar view to Figure 2 at a later stage but shows the parac ute before it-becomes' distended.

Figure4 is a diagrammatic view, showing the arachute distended, and the flare in operation, and the parachute, flare and container all in the position for descending. i

- Figure 5 shows a section through the cartridge case with the container therein ,-and with the parachute and'flare. 7

Fi re 6 shows a section along the line 6-6 of Figure 5, and l Figure 7 shows a section along the line 7 .-7 of F gure 5. y

Figure 8 shows a section along the line 8-8 of Figure 5.

A repfiese ts diagrammatically the iece from w chthemalncartfidgecaseis entitled Improvements in firearms. In order 0. 263,024, filed March 20, 1928, and

to provide suflicient capacity for the cartridge case B, it is provided with an enlarged bore with a smaller stem B of suitable size to project into the short barrel in which the cartridge case is fired. Contained in this cartridge is a projectile which comprises the container C, the flare D and the parachute E. The flare container and parachute are connected together by the wire or cable F, as shown in Figures 2, .3 and 4, to which the stays e are connected. This cable or wire may be provided with one or more shock absorbers f interposed between the arachute and either the container 0 or the are D, or both. These shock absorbers may be of coiled wire, or other suitable type.

in Figure 3, and these may be desirable where the container or the flare are of large size or weight, but these may be dispensed with We have shown two such shock absorbers where theweights ofthe container and flare h are comparatively small.

When the piece is fired, the container travels the predetermined distance before it, in turn, ejects the flare and the parachute, and, the parachute becoming distended, su ports the flare and the container as they escend gradu illustrated diagrammatically in Figures 1 to 4. The details of construction of the conlly towards the ground, all as tainer and the contentsthereof used in this are similar in many respects struction shown in our application filed March 20, 1928, Ser. No. 263,026, and entitled appsaratus will now be described. These detai the vcon- Improvements in firearms, but -difiers therefrom in minor respects only.

The construction of the to 8,and'wil1 B is referably prowhich slides into the barrel ofthe firearm A'and'is provided with an a nul groove b which ,th

7 main cartridge case, and the container and its contents are ormay be ire-n.

sprin latch for holdingthe cartridge case in the 'arre'l, as shown in our application Ser.

N 0. 263,026, aforesaid.

This stem is provided with an expansion chamber B into which the gases from the 5 s cartridge G are blown when the piece is fired.

It only requires a small blank cartridge to eject the projectile from the cartridge case, as will be hereinafter described.

In front of this chamber 13, the cartridge case is flanged outwards, as at b, and in front of this flange, we provide the washers H, H and H, .of which the center washer H is preferably made of felt, or similar material. and the other two of metal. In front of these washers is the cylindrical container C which is preferably made of aluminum, or other light metal, and has its forward end closed by the cup shaped cap I, which engages the forward end of the cartridge case, as shown in Figure 5. Inside the rearend of this container is mounted the annular cup K which isclosed at its forward end, and at its rear end is engaged by the flanged rear end a of the container 0. In the center of this annnla-r cup K, is a cylindrical cup M closed at its rear havilnigian :11 in my an enga eann 1 groove Z: ofthe lindrical cup K, which part E: crimped it? said ge m, as shown in F 5.

Their-ant end of the; cup M is closed by a paper disk on, and inside of the cap e ect-mg charge M. Projecting through the washers H, H and H -and into the ejecting charge M is theprimer which is in the form of a hollow tahe contg a slow hnrning fuse composition N which fuse compositi nisignitedhythefiamefizomtheh cartridge when the piece isfiredt, causing the InfrontoithenlarumpKisa" :1:- hym layezrmaybe provide a la isan' eontainerwiththeenelosedtherein ton Ill'ifl my: in sin-" 9,, the end p 015 'FgI uei 9 exposed to the flame from the enpel ling charge. This compositionQ, is first 1gmted, and in turn ignites the flare composition Q.

In front of this slow burning flare composition is the flare composition Q, and the end of the flare casing P is closed by the metal cap R which is crimped over, or otherwlse secured, to the front end of the flare casing, as shown at in Figure 5.

The wire or cable F has its end f secured to the cap R, as shown in Figure 5, and 1n order to provide a shock absorber, this wire may be soldered. to the said head R at diiierent points, as at f, as shown in Figure 7, so that this wire will tear the solder at the head and ease the shock, as will be hereinafter described.

This soldering arrangement may he used with or substituted for the coil spring shock absorber f previously described, or where light weights are expelled, the shock absorber may be omitted altogether. v

The wire F has one end fastened, as at f, to the head R, and the adjacent parts of the wire are coiled around the front head R of the flare casing, as shown in Figure 5. This part of thewire leads to the-wire loop P which isconnected to the parachute stays e, as shown in Figure 5, and then the free end of the wire is coiled d inside the container C and the outer endis made fast at f to the container CL The operation of the derice is as follows: 7 p a It is loaded into the piece indicated in dotted lines by the pistol A in Figure 1 and whenthispieceisMthefi-omthe blank cartridge will expand in the expansion B of the stem B, and the 1 composition N in the tuhe'N. The gasesin the chamber B will eject the washers H, H and H which willahtasapistonandwiflcansethecomtainerUtoolrttheheadLasshownin F I.

Thiscontainerwithitscontmtswillhe ejected through the air a predeted distance, mS|1r0iM Mn1l in L the expellingisiithlowthe Washerstomrandwillhlow max e i r -min- M mm' war u -hythewiieF,andasthree' will I 312% Hm Q will have ignited the anelthefire up,,asshownin wehlnmwumaiagemsemwmg a, n: mvnl stem and Ill an Lil n11 e,obwi 'mzyhe .ofthesame desired. By having an enlarged loading chamber, a lar er arachute, and a larger flare body may e dlscharged from the piece with a comparatively small propelling charge.

While any suitable form of-defayed action fuse may be used for transmitting the flame from the blank cartridge G to the expelling chan e M, we have shown a tube N, in which the s ow burning flare composition is compressed and is held, so that it will not be blown through, and at each end of thistube, we may provide lateral openings, slgch as at 71, to ignite either the flare composition at one en other. J

While we have described one embodiment of the invention in its preferred form, it will be obvious that various changes might be made in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, which could be used without departin from the spirit of our invention, and we 0 not mean to limit the invention to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having tlius described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United 'States is .1. Fixed ammunition for use with low Eower smooth bore firearms, having a short arrel of large calibre, said ammunition com-. rising a cartridge case forming an auxiliary arrel for the small arm and'provided with a stem, adapted to slide freely in the gun barrel, with a propelling charge in said stem, the said stem having a chamber for the expansion of the gases from the propelling-charge, and said cartridge'case having an enlarged loading chamber in front of said stem, with a projectile mounted in said loading chamber, and adapted to be ejected therefrom by' the gases from the propelling charge, said projectile comprising a tube slidably mounted in the loading chamber of the'cartridge case, a parachute and flare mounted in said tube, an

expelling charge also mounted in said tubefor ejecting said parachute and flare and for igniting said flare, means for suspending said tube and said flare from said parachute as they fall together through the air, and means, controlled by the firing of the small arm, for igniting said expelling charge.

-2. Fixed ammunition for use with low .power smooth bore firearms, having a short barrel of large calibre, said ammunition comprising a cartridge case forming an auxiliary barrel for the small arm and pro- .vided with a stem adapted to slide freely in the gun barrel, with a propelling charge in said stem, the said stem having a chamber for the expansion of the gases from the pro-' pelling charge, and said cartridge case having an enlarged loading chamber in 'front' of said stem w1th a projectile mounted in said loading chamber, and adapted to be ejected or the expelling charge at the therefrom by the gases from the propelling char e, said projectile comprising a tube slida 1y mounted in the loading chamber of the cartridge case, a parachute and flarc' mounted in said tube, an expelling charge also mounted in said tube for e ecting sa d parachute and flare and for igniting said flare, a wire connecting said tube and saidflare tothe parachute for suspending said tube and said flare from said parachute as theyfall together through the air, and means, controlled by the firing of the small arm, for

igniting said expelling charge,

3. Fixed ammunition for use with low the said stem having a chamber for the ex- 7 pansion of the gases from the propelling charge, and said cartridge case having an enlarged "loading chamber in front of said stem, with a projectile mounted in said loading chamber, and adapted to be ejected therefrom by the gases from the propelling charge, said projectile comprising a. tube slidably mounted in the loading chamber of the cartridge case, a parachute and flare mounted in said tube, an expelling charge alsormounted in said tube for ejecting said parachute and flare and for igniting said flare, a'wire connecting .said tube and said flare to the parachutefor suspending said tube and said flare from said parachute as they fall together' through the air, means for lessening the shock on said wire as the paras chute becomes distended, and means, controlled by the firing of the small arm, for igniting said expelling charge,

4. Tixed ammunition for use with fire--- arms com risin a cartrid e case with a propelling charge in the rear end of said cartridge .case, said cartridge case having a chamber for the expansion of the gases from the cartridge case, a parachute and a flare' mounted in said tube, an expelling charge for ejecting said parachute and flare and for igniting said flare, means for suspending said tube and said flare from said parachute as the parachute becomes extended and they fall together through the air, and means,

igniting said expelling charge.

5. Fixed ammunition for use with firearms, comprising a cartridge case witha propelling charge in the rear end of said carcontrolled by the firing of the small arm, for

tridge case, said cartridge case having a chamber for expansion of the gases from the propelling charge, and said cartridge case havinga loading chamber in front of said stem, with a projectile mounted in said loading chamber, and. adapted to be ejected there from by the gases from the propelling charge, said projectile comprising a tube slidably mounted in the loading chamber of the cartridge case, a parachute and a flare mounted in said tube, an expelling charge for ejecting said parachute and flare and for igniting said flare, a wire connecting said tube and said flare to said parachute for suspending said tube and said flare from said parachute as the parachute becomes extended and they fall together through the air, and means, controlled by the firing of the small arm, for igniting said expelling charge.

6; Fixed ammunition for use with firearms, comprising a cartridge case with a propelling charge in the rear end of said cartridge case, said cartridge case having a chamber for the expansion of the gases from the propelling charge, and said cartridge case having a loading chamber in front a of said stem, with a projectile mounted in said loading chamber, and adapted to be ejected therefrom by the gases from the propelling charge, said projectile comprising a tube slidably .mounted'in the loading chamber of the cartridge case, a parachute and a flare mounted in said tube, an expelling charge for ejecting said parachute and flare and for igniting said flare, a wire connecting said tube and said flare to 'said parachute,

for suspending said tube and said flare from said parachute as the parachute becomes extended and they fall together through the air, means for lessening the shock on said wlre as the parachute becomes distended,

and means, controlled by the firing of the smallarm, for igniting said expelling charge. LOUIS L. DRIGGS, JR.

HENRY B. FABER. 

